By NATION REPORTER
BRIAN Mundubile says Zambia missed the opportunity to lobby for mega projects when United States (US) Vice-President Kamala Harris visited the country.
Mr. Mundubile, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament said Zambians were expecting major pronouncements as was the case in the past, whenever high profile visits such as that of Ms Harris were conducted.
He said Zambians got firm pronouncements that resulted in the Lusaka Roads Decongestion Project that included construction of flyover bridges and expansion of existing roads, including ring roads, when then President of India, Nath Kovind, visited his Zambian counterpart at the time, President Edgar Lungu.
Mr. Mundubile said the visit by the India’s former President Kovind had enhanced the relationship between Zambia and India which had also culminated into the construction of 650 health posts across the country.
He said President Lungu visited China resulting in huge investments in roads, airports, energy, communication towers, among others.
Mr. Mundubile said Zambians were expectant of America, being a super power, to announce major investments in sectors such as energy, transport and manufacturing.
“Zambia is centrally located and the previous administration, the PF, was positioning the country as a transport hub and a net exporter of power in the region given the water bodies that we have,” Mr Mundubile said.
Mr. Mundubile said citizens were thinking that the USA would come in with tangible pledges so that Zambia could be a net exporter of energy in the region.
He said projects in road and railway infrastructure would turn Zambia into a transport hub in the region but that the country missed the opportunity to call and attract such investment.
“So far, Zambians are surprised with the figures that they got pledged by the USA Vice-President Harris,” he said.
Mr. Mundubile said Zambian Missions abroad, through Ambassadors and High Commissioners, needed to get on board to solicit for real investment for the country.
“Clearly, there has been no investment for two years in Zambia. We have not seen any major investment from the time the UPND formed government.,” Mr Mundubile said.
Mr. Mundubile said it was a great opportunity for the Embassy in USA to lobby for transformational projects in Zambia that could be funded by USA.
“Otherwise, we have lost out on this high-profile visit by Ms Harris. The benefits that we will get from her visit are not as many Zambians would have expected,” he said.
